Photo by Joe Toth/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
The U.S. national team found itself in a familiar position, trailing Slovenia after surrendering an early goal, but once again it fought back to earn a 2-2 result in its second Group C match at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
Second-half goals from Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley negated a 2-0 Slovenia lead. Despite getting a draw, the Americans will feel somewhat disappointed with the result, having come close to claiming three points late in the game.
In the 84th minute, Donovan curled in a free kick from the right flank that Maurice Edu smashed home from close range, but it was disallowed due to a controversial call.
It was unclear what referee Koman Coulibaly called, but the United States' still managed to fight back and earn a result in a match that began in poorly for the Americans.
Slovenia got on the scoreboard in the 13th minute with a Valter Birsa strike from distance that soared into the goal. The Slovenians added a second just before hafltime, when Zlatan Ljubijankic took advantage of Oguchi Onyewu's positioning to slip behind the defense and score easily on a breakaway.
After a flat first half, the United States immediately cut the deficit in half when Donovan found space down the right flank before blasting a shot past goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and into the roof of the net from a tight angle in the 48th.
The Americans pushed for an equalizer and found it eight minutes from the final whistle. Donovan served a long ball to Jozy Altidore, and he knocked it down to Michael Bradley, who made a deep run from the midfield. Bradley finished with a one-time shot over Handanovic, causing the pro-U.S. crowd to burst into jubilation.
It appeared to get even better for the United States when Edu finished off Donovan's free kick from close range, but a phantom foul or offsides was called by Coulibaly.
The game ended 2-2, and although the result might not feel like a positive one for the Americans, it still gives them a chance to advance to the second round if it can defeat Algeria by two goals on June 23.
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What did you think of the game? Still believe the United States will make it out of the group? Who impressed/disappointed you?
Share your thoughts below.
Eric Wynalda has a video on Yahoo Sports where he already calls for an investigation into Colibaly’s game. He notes two many points:
1. Every time the USA had a free kick it was called back for some mysterious infraction. Knowing that the USA would take advantage of set pieces and that they are often easy to just blow a whistle on because there is so much going on.
2. Anyone notice stoppage time? 3 minute and we probably received about a minute. Player gets injured in stoppage time and the referee does nothing to make up for it.
“you’re f*ckin high”
Findley is fading? Findley is freaking horrible at this level, He should be NOWHERE near the field.
Looks like five if you add Demerit. Jeez.
TIEBREAKERS
a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;
b) goal difference in all group matches;
c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings will be determined as follows:
d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
f) greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned;
g) drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee.
So if everyone beats Algeria and England ties Slovenia, ENG-SLV-USA all level on 5 pts, tiebreaker D and E don’t help, and it comes down to F, so USA have 3 goals scored vs ENG and SLV, while SLV have 2 (so far) and ENG have 1 (so far). So yes, if the ENG-SLV match is 0-0 or 1-1, we qualify with SLV, if it’s 3-3, ENG and SLV qualify, and if it’s 2-2, SLV qualify and it goes to G between ENG and USA.
Or does it revert to a two-team tiebreak at that point (once SLV wins on goals), putting USA vs. ENG through the whole list, where we could qualify over them based on scoring more goals vs. Algeria?
Just hoping for wins in every game to close it out. I wouldn’t mind a 2nd place depending on how Group D plays out
Torres was rather ineffectual, save for his beautiful shot and service on set pieces. Then again, I find it difficult to believe he could’ve had a good game with all the stupid long balls the back line was launching in the first half. That’s what killed us. Gooch would launch it to Findley, Findley would lose it, Slovenia would counter, and we were doneski.
Like the Edu and Feilhaber subs. Like Gomez too, though I would’ve liked it earlier as well.
Figure we have to look at a 4-3-3 against Algeria. Start Edu for Clark/Torres. Keep Findley out (if we win an appeal on that BS call). If we move Dempsey up top do we go with Spector on the wing? Gotta find a way to DESTROY Algeria. I want to see 4-0 or 5-0…
Thought Jozy did just fine. In our system if you have to play 1 striker he better be able to run with the ball if needed.
Ching can hold up, but that’s all. I thought Jozy did well. Wish he would have gotten a shot off that one time at the top of the box after a great first touch
Mark S., I am dumbfounded by your comments regarding Dempsey. Do you watch any EPL? Europa League?
You have to ask yourself this question: When someone gets “lucky” over and over and over again, at what point do you stop calling it luck?
He is a scrapper who fights (hard!) for his space and position…and then, when he scores, you think he was just “lucky” to have been at the right place at the right time?!?!
Amen Ben
Happy Father’s Day Dad!
Sluck you Fovenia!
It better. They need something to fire them up from the FIRST kickoff.
Yea, but that isn’t good enough. There is alot of money at stake for making the knockout round and rounds after that. One ridiculous bad call like that against USA or in another game can cost each football associations big big money and this world cup the money prize is up like 60% or something.
Instant Replays, new technology and extra refs need to be used and implemented but it seems like all FIFA does is keep letting Refs make bad calls and adidas keep making questionable balls.
This tie is like kissing your sister and then finding out she has the flu. It leaves you feeling sick.
As a referee, I was ashamed by the refereeing of this game. Absolutely shameful! THE REFEREE SHOULD NEVER DECIDE THE GAME!
USA 3 – Egypt 0, USA 2 – Spain 0, Confed Cup 2009.
Let’s look on the bright side here. The USA beat Egypt and Spain last summer because they were being criticized and got pissed off. They basically admitted as much in interviews. Maybe this ref decision will anger the players enough to actually show up for the first half of a match.
SI.com said it right: US 2, Slovenia 2, Referee 0
When is the last time the US actually beat someone by 2 goals in a meaningful international game (non-Friendly)?
You can only appeal a card in the case of mistaken identity. I don’t think you can appeal for mistaking a face for a hand.
Can I get an A-MEN for Landon Donovan? He cemented his legend today. After Slovenia scored the 2nd goal, you could just see that he was determined to do something about it. The old Landon might’ve folded. Some of the younger players on the team looked ready to fold. He didn’t let that happen. LEGEND.
Why are you talking about Clark? He didn’t play. That a positive decision from Bob.
Dempsey, again, was a complete waste of a roster spot. He was lucky not to get carded for his elbow to the face at the beginning of the game.
He then disappeared for the rest of the game, except when he stepped on the ball during a breakaway and looked for a nonexistant foul.
He gets lucky with a goal against England only because FIFA approved a horrible ball design from adidas. Other than that, I can’t see what he brings to the team and can’t understand why he gets called up, except for his lucky goals.
I’m not the conspiracy theory type, but somebody really needs to check out the transactions into that referee’s bank accounts. The disallowing of Edu’s goal defies belief, really there’s no rational explanation for it. This goes beyond USA fans being pissed off about the outcome. Plain and simple, the call was suspicious.
Torres did disappoint. He looked better as a sub. If only you could meld Torres, Clark, and Edu into one player….
BB needs to figure out how to fix the slow starts and we need something other than what Findley is bringing. But I thought his substitutions were great.
It’s funny, the criticism after the confed cup was that he’d built a good starting team, but couldn’t adjust on the fly.
I am actually happy. I though it was all over after going down 2-0. We still have life and a good chance to advance.
I did notice that he blew the whistle before the ball went in.
Before this World Cup started, I told myself: I hope we make it through the group games and put on a good showing in the knock-out stage. But more importantly, I hope they get through the tournament without a bad referee getting in the way.
2002-Frings handball
2006-Ghana PK
2010-Disallowed goal
I’ve watched the play about 10 times and I cannot find one foul by an American. The closest thing to it is Boca holding on to a defender WHO HAS HIM IN A HEADLOCK. The ref blew his whistle before Edu scored, so at least he didn’t call the goal back. But now FIFA has told US Soccer that the ref has no comment. I just can’t believe this. I really can’t. This ref has no justification for blowing that whistle. Where is Declan Hill when you need him?
Don’t forget that it is entirely possible that Germany will finish second in their group based upon more another horrible ref. Thus, it may be better to finish second than first.
i think Darke is significantly better than Tyler. Tyler sounds like monotonous compared to Darke’s exciting and colorful commentary.
Looking at group D we might luck out if we finish 2nd. Would be awesome if Ghana wins and Germany goes second.
Are you serious??
How does this keep happening to the United States? 🙁
You’ve seen MLS refs. That’s not political correctness. That’s just a dearth of good referees in the world.
Yes, they do. Every match, they’re assessed on their performance immediately afterwards. Their performance and grades determine future match assignments.
Aden, I’m completely with you on this one. You never called for anyone to get shot, you were just bringing up a point. Everyone gets their panties in a wad whenever someone says something even semi-controversial.
and the fact that people bring up that soccer, or whatever sport, is just a sport is kind of ridiculous. People that say this probably don’t like their job or never strived to be good at something and possibly envious they don’t have the ability or skill to play professionally. Such is life, find something else. Sport has always been an integral part of life and will always be an integral part of life.
The irony in all this is that Germany could very likely finish 2nd in their group.
I’m sorry that you’re more delusional about human nature than Tim McVeigh
Yea, mostly I was angry at our team for waiting until halftime and 2-0 down to wake up. But the Slovenians were clutching and grabbing quite a bit, especially on Altidore. None of them was all that bad as a standalone foul, but when they do it every time the whole game, it becomes a problem. Every chance we had to run on to a through ball or turn around a defender, their arms were up around the chest or neck of our player. It’s obstruction if nothing else…
A rope, a tree, hang the mother-f*#@$*!!
That’s not normally how it goes, but you get the idea … I hate him.
Given the Hallmark sales rep who reffed the Germany-Serbia game playing either of them in knockouts might get a lot easier. They each have about 4-5 players on a yellow card and might be short defenders in the knockout rounds. It doesn’t seem clear now on who the US would prefer to play if they can beat Algeria by 2.
The US must learn to play like it is a goal down all the time. The first 20 minutes of this game was hard to understand. The US was just passing the ball around the back four and then, boom a long kick to the opposition. The US has to come out hungry every game and realize that, more times than not, the calls are not going to go their way. The US has to play every game like it did in the second half today.
I sure am!
I’m sorry that you are too stupid to understand how people work.
For everyone rooting against Algeria today and hoping they have nothing lef tto play for on Wednesday… recalll how Poland had nothing to play for and pasted us 3-1…
Our defense and midfield needs to get their heads out of their @$$es and figure out who guards whom when our oppononets are charging up the field. Slovenia has another couple of chances before the first goal and had attackers wide open on the edge of the box countless times in the frist 10 minutes… a dangerous chance was coming at any point…
Let’s get the defense right for the first 20 minutes, lull Algeria into attacking and then counter… they won’t be playing for a tie regardless of today’s outcome
Yeah, I mean of course he’s going to say he called a foul on Edu because that’s what he’s got to say. I don’t know. Maybe Edu really did commit a foul. Didn’t look like it, though. Sucks that referees can change games like that.
I am still too upset to even think straight.
Not new, just lame. All internet message board posters do it.
Bingo
Sorry bro, you think Clark would have buried the goal (yes, the goal) that Edu did? Findley? Holy sh*t, Bradley’s system is as simple as it gets and the team he selects to fit into it is as simple as it gets too. Bradley DOES NOT know how to play against European teams. Only shear desperation saved our bacon this time (for now).
If before the World Cup started, you told me that all we had to do was beat Algeria, probably by at least 2, to get to the 2nd round, I’d be pleased as punch with that. We got absolutely screwed, but we can erase that with a quality performance. In the end, that’s all you can ask for.